Image output device with registerable control programs

ABSTRACT

An image outputting apparatus comprises program storing means prestoring therein a control program for processing print information conforming to a command system, the program storing means being removably mountable with respect to the body of the apparatus, memory means disposed in the apparatus, and registering means for copying and registering the control program in the program storing means on the memory means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to an image outputting apparatus whichoutputs images on the basis of printing information input from a host,and particularly to an image outputting apparatus which outputs imageson the basis of printing information input from a host in conformitywith a command system memorized by a memory medium such as a cartridge.

[0003] 2. Related Background Art

[0004] An apparatus of this tape has heretofore been designed such thata character code and a control command output from a data supply sourcesuch as a host computer are given and received and the character codeand the control command input analyzed to generate a character patternwhich is an object to be printed, and the generated character pattern isdeveloped, for example, into a frame buffer corresponding to one pageand is output to the print driving circuit of a printer, whereby adesired character and an image can be output.

[0005] However, the control command system output from the data supplysource such as the host computer is a command system inherent to eachprinter maker and therefore, usually, the printer of one maker cannot bemade to function as the printer of another maker, and interchangeabilityis low and an improvement therein has been waited for.

[0006] For this reason, in apparatuses of this type, there has been putinto practical use an emulation-corresponding printer in which when acommand system inherent to a printer is the native command, there iscarried an emulation program for processing the command of a commandsystem differing from this native command so that a printing processconforming to the command of a discrete system can be executed.

[0007] However, usually in an image outputting apparatus for executingthe printing process by an emulation mode of this kind, design is madesuch that an emulator program for executing said emulation mode ismemorized by a cartridge type memory medium and image outputting in theemulation mode can be executed in accordance with the user'srequirement, i.e., by the user inserting the cartridge into the mountingport of image outputting means, but usually the emulator program of oneemulation mode is only memorized in said cartridge type memory mediumand therefore, to enhance the printing interchangeability in the imageoutputting apparatus body, it has been necessary to buy a plurality ofsuch cartridge type memory mediums and mount a cartridge type memorymedium corresponding to each emulation mode each time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-notedproblem and the object thereof is to provide an image outputtingapparatus in which an emulation program is memorized by a cartridge typememory medium and a hard disk or the like is mounted as an auxiliarymemory device and provision is made of means for copying and registeringthe emulation program in the cartridge onto the hard disk or the like,whereby a plurality of emulation programs are contained in the hard diskat a time and the execution of any emulation program memorized in thehard disk can be easily indicated without a cumbersome cartridgeinterchanging process being carried out.

[0009] In the present invention, by the emulation program being copiedand registered on auxiliary memory means, it becomes possible todismount the copied and registered emulation program cartridge andfurther, it also becomes possible to copy and register a secondemulation cartridge in the same manner. Thereby, the user is liberatedfrom the cumbersomeness with which the cartridge is interchanged duringthe changeover of the emulation program mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image outputting apparatusaccording to the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of the printercontrol unit of FIG. 1.

[0012]FIG. 3 is a pictorial perspective view of a program package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the construction ofan image outputting apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0014] The laser printer shown in FIG. 1 can also accomplish theregistration of character patterns and form patterns from a data supplysource, not shown.

[0015] In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 designates a body whichconverts character information (character code) and form information(form code), supplied from an outside host computer which will bedescribed later into a character pattern and a form patterncorresponding thereto and images them on paper which is a recordingmedium. The reference numeral 2 denotes a printer control unit whichcontrols the entire body 1 and analyzes character information, etc.supplied from the host computer, and the printer control unit 2 convertschiefly the character information into a video signal of a correspondingcharacter pattern and outputs the converted video signal to a laserdriver 3. The laser driver 3 is a circuit for driving controlling asemiconductor laser 4, and ON-OFF-changes over laser light 5 emittedfrom the semiconductor laser 4 in comformity with the input videosignal. The laser light 5 is deflected in a direction from left to rightby a rotatable polygonal mirror 6 and is applied onto an electrostaticdrum (photosensitive drum) 7, whereby the latent image of the characterpattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 7. This latent image isdeveloped by a developing unit 8 around the electrostatic drum 7,whereafter the developed image in transferred to the paper. The paperused is cut sheets, which are contained in a paper cassette 9 mounted tothe body 1, and the cut sheets are introduced one by one into theapparatus by a paper feeding roller 10 and conveying rollers 11 and 12,and supplied to the electrostatic drum 7. The reference numeral 13designates an operation panel comprised of an operation switch and anindicator comprising an LED. The operation panel 13 informs of the stateof the body 1.

[0016] The reference character 2 a denotes a connector which provides amounting mechanism. A program cartridge which is program supply means tobe described is mounted on the connector 2 a.

[0017] The reference character 2 b designates a hard disk which is alarge capacity auxiliary memory device. The hard disk 2 b secures anarea for copying and registering an emulation program in the programcartridge.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of theprinter control unit 2 shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, members identical tothose in FIG. 1 are given identical reference characters.

[0019] In this figure, the reference numeral 21 denotes an inputinterface portion which receives a control code and a character codefrom a host computer 28 which is an outside apparatus, and causes themto be temporarily accumulated in an input buffer memory 22 comprising,for example, a random access memory RAM. The reference numeral 23designates a CPU which serves also as the emulation program startingcontrol means of the present invention. The CPU 23 executes the printinformation processing on the basis of a control program stored in acontrol program ROM 25. Particularly in the control program ROM 25,there is stored a print processing sequence during the native mode. Thereference numeral 24 denotes a character pattern generator which storestherein a character font pattern corresponding to a character code inthe form of a dot matrix. The reference numeral 26 designates a framebuffer memory comprising, for example, an RAM. The frame buffer memory26 image-develops and memorizes for one page a character patterncorresponding to a predetermined character code obtained from thecharacter pattern generator 24 at a suitable position in conformity witha printing position command input from the host computer 28.

[0020] The reference numeral 27 designates an output interface portionwhich generates a video signal conforming to the dot pattern informationdeveloped and memorized in the frame buffer memory 26, and outputs thevideo signal to a page printer portion 30 in synchronism with a printcontrol signal. The page printer portion 30 prints image informationcorresponding to the video signal by the mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

[0021] The reference numeral 29 also indicated in FIG. 3 denotes aprogram package which provides program supply means. The program package29 is comprised of an emulation program ROM 29 a and a socket 29 b forprocessing print information corresponding to any command system, and isdesigned to be removably mounted on the connector 2 a.

[0022] In the emulation program ROM 29 a, there is stored the emulationprogram P1 of the emulation program mode differing from the native mode(a purser and an execution procedure for analyzing a combination ofcommands (a command system) from the host computer 28 are stored as aprogram), and when a “copy” switch 32 on an operation panel 34 isdepressed with the program package 29 mounted on the connector 2 a, theCPU 23 which is emulation program copying and registering means readsout the emulation program P1 through the connector 2 a and copies andregisters it on the hard disk device.

[0023] It is possible to store a plurality of emulation programs on thehard disk by performing a similar operation by the use of a cartridge inwhich an emulation program discrete from said emulation program isstored.

[0024] It is to be understood that which of the emulation programs onthe hard disk should be executed is determined by a rotary switch-likeemulation program “selection” switch 33 on the operation panel 34 andfollows the designation by this switch during power on. Specifically,the hard disk is generally at a low speed to fetch the emulation programand therefore, it is to be understood that a further emulation programis recopied on an emulation program execution area 31 comprising an RAMand the instruction fetch of the CPU 31 is effected from this area.

[0025] The above embodiment has been described with respect to a casewhere the printer control unit 2 processes the image information for thepage printer portion 30 correspondingly to various emulation modes,whereas the outputting medium is not limited to a printer apparatus, butthe present invention can also be applied to a CRT apparatus capable ofdisplaying a bit map.

[0026] As described above, according to the present invention, variousemulation programs can be copied and registered in various ways andtherefore, for example, even when it is necessary to effect copying andregistration with a plurality of emulation programs changed over, thenecessary image can be output solely by a simple switch operation.

[0027] Also, according to the present invention, the inconvenience thatindiscriminately many cartridge slots are provided or cartridgeinterchange is done frequently can be prevented.

1. An image outputting apparatus comprising: program storing meansprestoring therein a control program for processing print informationconforming to a command system, said program storing means beingremovably mountable with respect to the body of said apparatus; memorymeans disposed in said apparatus; and registering means for copying andregistering the control program in said program storing means on saidmemory means.
 2. An image outputting apparatus according to claim 1 ,wherein said program storing means is disposed in a cartridge.
 3. Animage outputting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality ofcontrol programs for processing print information conforming to aplurality of kinds of command systems are stored in said program storingmeans.
 4. An image outputting apparatus according to claim 3 , furthercomprising selection means for selecting desired one of the plurality ofcontrol programs for processing print information conforming to aplurality of kinds of command systems which are stored in said programstoring means.
 5. An image outputting apparatus comprising: output meansfor outputting an image on the basis of print information; programstoring means prestoring therein a control program for processing printinformation conforming to a command system, said program storing meansbeing removably mountable with respect to the body of said apparatus;memory means disposed in said apparatus; registering means for copyingand registering the control program in said program storing means onsaid memory means; and control means for controlling the printinformation in accordance with the control program copied and registeredon said memory means by said registering means and outputting said printinformation as an image by said output means.
 6. An image outputtingapparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising print informationmemory means for memorizing said print information.
 7. An imageoutputting apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said output means isa CRT display.
 8. An image outputting apparatus according to claim 5 ,wherein said output means is a printer.
 9. An image outputting apparatusaccording to claim 5 , wherein said program storing means is disposed ina cartridge.
 10. An image outputting apparatus according to claim 5 ,wherein a plurality of control programs for processing print informationconforming to a plurality of kinds of command systems are stored in saidprogram storing means.
 11. An image outputting apparatus according toclaim 10 , further comprising selection means for selecting desired oneof the plurality of control programs for processing print informationconforming to a plurality of kinds of command systems which are storedin said program storing means.